The present invention relates to inflammation within the body, and more particularly, to regulating inflammation to treat conditions and diseases associated therewith.
Inflammation has been linked to a variety of conditions and diseases that affect the body. For example, inflammation within joints is known to worsen the symptoms of and structural deformities caused by arthritis and rheumatoid diseases, such as bursitis, tendonitis, myositis and osteoarthritis, as well as bone and joint destructive diseases, such as osteoporosis.
Inflammation also is known to contribute to a variety of cardiovascular and metabolic disease processes, such as atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and insulin resistance associated with obesity. Atherosclerosis may increase the chances of stroke and myocardial infarction and insulin resistance may lead to diabetes.
Inflammation is also thought to contribute to the development of neurological disorders, for example, Alzheimer's disease.
Indeed a large body of research now links inflammation with a wide variety of chronic degenerative diseases. This research has identified certain cells—macrophages—that produce pro-inflammatory chemicals—cytokines—which induce signaling cascades that provide an inflammatory response. These cytokines play a role in inflammatory reaction in response to foreign and infectious agents, traumatic or chronic injury, and abnormal chemical or physical stresses.
Accordingly, treatments have been developed to regulate the release of inflammatory cytokines, or the signaling of inflammatory cytokines, specifically the interleukin-1 (IL-1) cytokine from macrophages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,635,478 to Vignery discloses the use of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) to regulate IL-1 release, and thereby treat rheumatoid arthritis. Although highly specific CGRP is effective at regulating IL-1, its use is cost prohibitive and presently it is undetermined whether this compound has a toxic effect with prolonged use.